Black Lives Matter protests have not caused a spike in coronavirus cases, a new study has found. The study, which assessed data from 315 US cities, hypothesised that protests would increase disease transmission, but this was not borne out in the findings. The researchers, from various American colleges including San Diego State University, concluded there was “no evidence” to suggest the demonstrations had actually led to a surge nearly three weeks on. Titled “Black Lives Matter Protests, Social Distancing, and COVID-19,” the study also found “strong evidence” that the protests actually increased stay-at-home adherence overall, likely because non-protesters chose to leave their homes less amid the demonstrations. While the protesters did not practice social distancing, as recommended by health experts, they were mostly outside and wearing masks, which appeared to greatly limit the spread.
